It's a Grimm Life
by JeannieWood
Summary: It's never been in question- Xander being human. But he is the one who can see, which is especially interesting when you consider all those things that bump around in the night, invisible to the rest of us. With a little help from his new friends and boss, Xander might be able to become something truly special. If only politics weren't getting in the way of it all.
1. Prologue

**_Authors Notes_**

_So... this story is going to be long. The prologue is more of a teaser than anything else. I've written about forty five pages so far, and besides the prologue each chapter is about 4 to 7 pages... so you're not going to get a whole thing over night. And it's complicated. The general idea behind it was that Xander has always been the one who sees- but what if- **hang with me here**- he sees more than Buffy, Willow or Giles ever did, and just never knew it. That yes, they're all fighting demons and monsters and blah blah blah- but what if when fighting, Xander saw these things for what they really were. Which frankly makes Buffy's whole thing with monsters a lot less creepy. ^.^_

_It's about season 2 for both Buffy and Grimm, so you should be fine if you're ever caught an episode of either. For the Buffy fans we are setting the scene after the Hyena episode, and the Soldier Halloween bit. Faith and Wesley are both around, and we're in a Dawn existence universe, but with her as a minor to non existent character (unless I change up plans). As far as Grimm goes, it's Post meeting Rosalee, but no heavy romantic feelings between her and Monroe yet._

_There won't be slash. It might get a wee bit violent, and there might be a bit of cursing, but nothing that you'll see and say, "Holy Toasters, Batman!" __There wont be character bashing. _I actually wrote a scene yesterday between Xander and his mother that makes her seem very much like an interesting person with her own stories to tell.

_I am trying to keep this away from any Mary Sue (Marty Stu) potholes, but there is some need for Xander and Nick to become more and more awesome over time. I'm doing my best to keep it realistic._

_That all being said, please, review. I abandoned my last story cause I lost steam mentally... and I **really** like this one. This one has way better ending possibilities, and I feel like I can actually put my toys back in the box afterwords without having broken off too many pieces. A common writing problem for me is that I complete change characters so much that they're not really... you know... them. But this one I feel really good about._

_All that being said, enjoy the prologue. ^.^ Chapter 1 will be up some time next week._

**It's A Grimm Thing to See  
By Jeannie H. Wood**

It was sticky.

It was slimy.

And Xander was covered in it, in a head and toe kind of way. It wasn't thick, but it was drippy- and originally in his hair, which meant in the end of his very long night it was pretty much everywhere.

There weren't a lot of glamourous days when it came to demon slayage; yet there he was on the front lines, despite the slime. The sticky, slimy, kind of acidic in a itchy way slime. And yeah, he was praying to whatever gods that happened to be up there that his parents didn't wake up at the sound of the shower. And yeah, he was kind of pissed that Buffy had said it was his own fault he'd gotten soaked in the green goo for being out there in the first place...

But, as the hot water hit his sore muscles and scrubbed away the worst of his last fight, there _were_ good days. Not that he could think of any right now, but there was good. There was hanging with his best friends good, and the good of knowing he was more fit than he'd ever been in his life... and even though he wasn't really feeling it right now, there was the good of knowing he was doing something really worth while and saving lives.

Kind of.

From the sidelines.

Usually as per a cheerleader, but _still_...

Silver linings. Silver linings, silver linings, silver... fucking... linings.

Fuck it, he was aggravated. He was tired, his homework wasn't done, (promising three full lectures tomorrow from his teacher, Snyder, and his parents) there were bruises bruising his bruises, and his ego had been hit badly (yet again) by Buffy. And it wasn't even his _fault_. At least, not this time.

There they had been, walking through the graveyard (The Restfield- south of _Sleepy Place_, and east of _Niam's Gravesite. ...Opposite_ the Starbucks), nary a care in the world. Buffy had already taken out three fledges, Xander had taken out one and a half (Buffy had to help a little), when out pops Crazy-Demon-McScreechy with a frickin' scythe. And even though Buffy had tried to shoot off a whole line about Reapers and old farmers that needed to get with the times, Crazy-Demon-With-Sticky-Insides guy had seemed really damn intent on chopping off _Xanders_ head with his rusty old blade.

So of course Buffy and gone all Slayer on his ass, not that it seemed to change the demons opinion on who it was that he was supposed to be fighting (re: Buffy). Not only that but it was far stronger than their usual day to day baddie- not to mention the fact that he had a weapon beyond his fists. The fight was a rare one, done in complete silence- even Buffy had stopped making puns when she realized how dead set this guy was on kicking Xanders ass.

Soon enough he was running away, leaving a huffy puffy Buffy and a bruised Xander in his wake. He'd left his scythe on the ground, holding most of what was left of his insides... well, inside. And with that, they were on their way home. Covered in demon guts on Xanders part, while Buffy got a shiny (rusty) new (incredibly old and decrepit looking) scythe for the G-Mans collection.

A sigh. A groan.

Twisting the taps closed, Xander stifled the urge to just stay there all night. A song quote drifting in one thought and out the other.

_Life sucked, and then you die._


	2. Chapter 1

**It's A Grimm Thing to See  
By Jeannie H. Wood**

**Chapter 1  
****It Begins****  
**

The world was bright, the birds were singing, and Buffy Summers couldn't possibly be having a better day- for a school day, anyhow. All in all, things were of the good. A whistle passed her lips, and she'd of admitted to anyone that it wasn't something that happened all to often anymore. The little girl in her thought that it might be a good day for a lolly-pop.

Because everybody loves a lolly-pop.

While her whole Angel crush was still up in the air, she was _alive_. And alive was... good. Today, at least.

She was taking the long way to school (and an hour early on top of that)- the weapon in her hand jutting out in that attention grabbing kind of way. Sunnydale High had never had any sort of weapon detection deal going on- lucky thing, or she wouldn't be able to get half her tools in and out of the library. But this scythe was special, somehow- least wise, Giles seemed to think so when she had called in after patrol last night.

Not that she could see a reason why- rust and old blood had made the deceptively sharp blade look pretty worn; and the spots where hands had obviously held it far too often over far too long were drawn down beyond what even she would have considered acceptable. Frankly, it looked like crap. Deadly crap, but crap none the less. And it was _still _a little sticky from last night.

Less sticky than Xander had been, at least. The thought was still bringing a grin to her face.

But the thing that had Giles all hippity happy was writing along the blade- something European that reminded her of Latin. She'd tried to spell it out for him over the phone, but erosion had taken away most semblance of sense.

A quick swipe and several small branches from an above tree came down.

Another swipe and it cut through a much heftier branch like a hot knife through butter.

Maybe if Giles could restore it, Buffy thought happily, she could use it on patrol.

A slayer, standing at the ready, taking on death itself- with a scythe...

Too cool.

*** BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM ***

"It's actually quite interesting," first and second period had come and gone, and Buffy was back in the library on her free period listening to Giles drone on and _on_ about what was quickly becoming the most boring weapon in all history_. "_The length suggests-"

Blah blah blah.

"The width of the blade-"

Blah blah blah.

"But what makes it particularly special," and Buffy actually looked up from her nails for a moment- even if Giles did tend to drone, he knew what was what in the demon world. "It that this is a true _Grimm Reaper_ scythe."

"Like, 'Beat me in a Game of Chess' kind of reaper?"

"Well... no."

And back to the nails, but with a half ear open just in case.

"It's used by the reapers _of_ the Grimm, actually! Incredibly rare, and incredibly valuable- even to the council. We've only ever had one in our possession, only for it to have been stolen by another Grimm Reaper."

"So these Reaper guys..."

"Are usually _Wesen_. They're actually a subspecies of humans that tend to be treated more like demons. _Very_ rare- the council isn't able to track them to nearly the same degree as we are demons. I don't specialize, but I do know that rarely a trusted human is allowed into their court. A little like the Order or Taraka in that way. Powerful, dangerous creatures that normally have some sort of death to avenge in their family. A family member, or very good friend that was killed by one of the Grimm."

"And a Grimm is..."

"It's a human, actually. Mostly. ...We think. Grimm is actually the family name that was passed down by two particularly famous German brothers. Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm. Weather or not _they_ were human is pretty much open to interpretation, as the blood line has been so diluted since then they're pretty much homo sapiens in nature as a whole. Have you ever heard of the Brothers Grimm?"

"You mean, like the movie?" Buffy thought about it for a moment, "Yeah. Totally creepy, but kind of funny. The mud blob was disgusting, but the kid with no face was kind of border line scary. You know?"

"...There was a movie?"

"Yeah, I mean, I don't know who directed it or anything, but-"

"No, I... that's... quite alright. In reality the Brothers Grimm were two brothers who collected, or at least gave fame to all the fairy tales we know and tell today- though when they were written, the brothers told the stories quite a bit darker and move demonic than we know them now. The princess and the toad, for example- instead of the princess kissing the toad as we tell children now, originally the princess was so disgusted by the toad that she threw him at a wall as hard as she could and killed him- only for the toad to turn back into a human at death, resulting in the princess being hanged for murder."

"That's kind of... eww."

"Most of the old stories are like that. Very dark, very evil. The brothers Grimm had said until their dying days that every single story they ever told was actually true, though of course they weren't generally believed. But as the Watchers know they passed on an ability to their children, who passed it on to theirs, etcetera. Thus we're not entirely sure as to their linage, you see; human or otherwise."

"And the ability is..."

"The ability to _see_. To look at a creature, be it Wesen or Demon, and see it for what it truly is; when anyone else would see it as its disguise. To see intention and truth. A Grimm may not see deception as such, but they know the well meaning from the ill meaning. They see threat when it exists. Decedents of the brothers Grimm became very famous hunters, after that, as they could see both the demons and Wesen that were hidden among us, when even people like Slayers couldn't."

"So a Grimm Reaper is actually a reaper of these Grimm guys. Hunting the hunter kind of stuff."

Okay. So... kind of interesting. Mind, so were polished pink nails. With sparkles.

"Exactly. Of course the council has long been under the belief that there are no unknown Grimms left. There are a few that we know of, but they don't generally hold belief with the council and try to keep to their own. We like to imagine we know the locations of the remaining Grimm, and keep track of where they travel- but of course no system is ever a hundred percent."

"So a Grimm reaper being in Sunnydale means there has to be a Grimm here. One the council doesn't know about."

"Yes. Precisely. To think that a Grimm Reaper is here in town... it suggests that there's a Grimm as well, which would be absolutely astounding- they're considered to be amazing hunters, above anything even Slayers do-"

"Hey now-!"

Giles waved her back to sitting with a hand. "For multiple reasons, and it's not meant to be offensive. The first is very simple- they are human. They must reach the same level of combative skills as you must, without the supernatural strength and power. The second, to be frank, most higher end demons of any intelligence- you'll never come up against for a very simple reason. They know who you are, and they _like_ knowing. If you were to die, all of a sudden a new slayer could pop up anywhere on the planet. Nobody is safe until the Slayer and her location are common knowledge. So long as they know you're stuck here, guarding the hellmouth against the somewhat intelligence-lacking demons, they know they're safe-_ish_ elsewhere. Killing you would be opening up a... well, a can of worms. Nobody likes not knowing if their next dinner is going to end up stabbing them.

"It's another reason why vampires like William the Bloody don't get along with the general demon populace. They _like_ buggering things up for everybody, and knowing that the demon world is in an uproar trying to find out where the next slayer is as much as the humans... well, I'd imagine it's a good laugh, if one has the ego and the inclination."

"And Grimms are better because they're just normal people?"

"Not just better as in skill wise- but more dangerous in how random they can be. A slayer fights vampires. On a Hellmouth, normally. They're followed by a watcher, and the council. They use a stake, holy water, and on the rare occasion a cross or another religious artifact. It's all very cut and dry in the larger scheme of things. A Grimm might be skilled fighter- or likewise, hate his heritage and have nothing to do with it. He might use a sword, he might use a gun, he might use poison. He may well just use the front end of his car. Unless you _know_ the Grimm, you don't know what or when or why they'll do what they do- all you know is that it'll end up with a dead body- or a very good story.

"And not only are they generally good hunters- a problem with Grimms is that if one were to be particularly... promiscuous, he or she could create as many more as they like. Imagine if one of your greatest enemies could just go visit a sperm bank and give up a couple hundred sperm. Suddenly the next generation of meals has a couple hundred extra sensory hunters amongst it."

"So these Grimm Reapers try to take them out as quickly as possible."

"Yes. It's also why the Grimm family line is kept so secretive."

The first warning bell rung for fourth period than, and Buffy started collecting her stuff. "All in all, it's actually quite the compliment," Giles was grinning as he hung the scythe up in his weapons cabinet. "For a Grimm Reaper to consider you a threat worthy of coming out for- well, it shows that you're well on your way to becoming one of the best."

A thought crossed Buffy's mind as the second warning bell rung, and absently, as she left, she turned to him to say- "I don't know- it would have been more of a compliment if it hadn't kept going after _Xander_. I mean, the stupid thing turned its back to me like, ten times! It's the only reason I even managed to take the thing out. Like _Xander_ is more of a threat than _me_. Pshaw."

She turned to leave, not seeing Giles' jaw drop. His mouth hung open like that for a moment, and Buffy was through the doors, swinging shut behind her. A smart moment later and he was calling out to his Slayer, "What did it look like?"

For a moment he was sure Buffy hadn't hear him, already distracted by class and school, but a moment later her head poked back through the library doors. "Like a human," she commented casually, knowing anyone who overheard her in the hallways would just have a strong attack of Sunnydale Syndrome. "Like a pale-ish, kinda sick green human. Until he got sliced open, anyway. I don't think humans have organs like that."

"You're sure?"

"Sure I'm sure. Honestly, if he hadn't attacked us I wouldn't have ever gone after him. Kinda a death wish, really," she waved goodbye with a quirk of a smile- but Giles had already turned away. There were few ways to interpret this information- and none of them were good.

**TBC Next Sunday**


	3. Chapter 2

So basically my life is super busy, and I have... no excuse. I write when I have time... but there's a lot of things I want to do when I have time, and generally I only write this story when I'm hyped on Grimm. So... here's another chapter. I'll try to remember posting the next one in a few days (it's already written). Reviews remind me. :)

**Chapter 2  
****Alone Against the Tide  
****Three Years Ago****  
**

_He swings, the axe in his hands slicing through the air with such speed that it doesn't even slow down on hitting the Weisenguard. One down._

_A jump and he's in the air, an aimed shot at his feet missing- it ends in a kick, and the second stunned Weisenguard is spinning backwards. His hands to his face, blood oozing from a very obviously broken jaw and nose. It gurgles something before reaching back and grabbing at a... Fuck! A pain filled moan before falling forward- a very sudden and obvious portrusion jutting out from his chest._

_A sword._

_It's pulled back up and out of the still twitching body without comment._

"_Thanks," his words are muffled by the sound of movement- there are still two Wesen to go, each of them intent on bringing down a Grimm of their own._

"_Only cheaters use guns," the young man whispered his own words; he certainly wasn't smiling. Anything else he might have said was stopped for the moment; he spun back to block a punch headed his own way, gripping the hand of such a larger opponent. _

_Nick dropped, kicking out the creatures legs as Xander kept him upright and aimed his own attack at the head._

_Three down._

_One left. One that looked decidedly less likely to win._

"_Where's the Blutbod?" Nicks voice was quiet. Simple. He was a police officer first, after all._

"_Dead." The Weisenguard didn't look sorry about it either. Nick ground his teeth at the thought... it was probably a lie. It had to be a lie._

_And while Nick may have been a cop first, the boy certainly wasn't. The kid ran forward, ungraceful but driven- and a moment later the Weisenguard was down. The hilt of his sword the only visible thing left of the large weapon._

_Finally the boy turned to him, his shirt soaked in blood, bits of body in his hair- and he grinned. Red stained teeth looking demonic- an almost black wafting cloud that seemed to drift away from his skin like an inner gruesome glow. "Haven't done that in a while... gotta say, having backup again? That's nice."_

"_You're a Grimm."_

_The grin became slightly more maniacal. The dark in his eyes pooling into a void. A green glint to them. "So are you, Nick."_

"_Nick."_

"_But-"_

"_Nick."_

"_I-"_

"_Nick! Time to wake up!"_

Nick rolled over, the soft light of their bedroom making the room look almost hazy. "You can't be late- not today!"

He blinked once. Twice.

She was beautiful, this new girlfriend of his. Short red hair and a long, lean body. Pale, but always smiling. Smart as a whip and twice as fast. Long fingers and a voice that seemed to trail.

Everything was going so... perfect.

And then there was his job. Today was the day he'd find out if the captain was going to push him into homicides. A great promotion with an even greater pay-cheque. But with Juliette standing above him, still dripping wet from his shower and wrapped in a towel...

Five minutes more with his girlfriend certainly wasn't going to kill him- and it would probably put these weird dreams out of his head too.

*** BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM ***

There wasn't much to English class, Xander took the school steps with a skip, his last test having proved that he was at least competent enough to escape high school. Turn a phrase, sneak a glance at Cordelia's worksheets, take a nap, and just like that- done. Free and clear with the world at his fingertips- and his feet.

The skateboard under Xander's arm didn't see much action this year; it was more of a Jesse thing, and Xander had always been more concerned for his skills falling behind his friend, rather than an actual urge to fly down the sidewalk at unnecessary speeds. But today was his day off, all things concerned. Willow had an Oz thing, and Buffy had a dad thing- which meant he had to find a way to entertain himself. Normally he'd do the G-Man thing, but Snyder was all up in arms about kids being in the school after hours for no reason as of late. And like hell he'd find Wesley. That guy screamed uptight in an insane kinda way.

So, skateboarding. Maybe a trip to the ice cream stand later. Maybe bug Cordelia after that. Probably Bronze it up some.

The active sounds of school faded into nothing as Xander skateboarded through the suburban wastelands that used to be his life. The little church that he knew Jesse's parents still visited every weekend, and the video game rental place that now stood empty and had _property for rent_ signs across the windows... A guy mowing his lawn with what looked like the most relaxed pace Xander had ever seen. It was quiet. It was nice. A pawn shop that he didn't remember existing, on a corner that once had a gas station.

Dank and dusty windows. A toy train that seemed to have seen better days. An wizened old man watering the flowers at the door, who smiled at him- stared a bit longer than was necessary, and turned to go back inside.

There were no graveyards around here. Part of the reason he so rarely saw this side of town anymore. Old houses and tall trees... it was nice. Normal. Except-

The shadow came out of nowhere. The pain exploding from his head, and Xander was on the ground with his skateboard clattering away. A practised roll and he was on his back, shaky and confused but up. A few feet away from where he had been- a few feet away from where a sword was now being pulled out of the ground. _Oh, shit_.

_Sweep the leg_, and even though the demon didn't outright fall over, it stumbled and Xander was on his feet again- a stitched up and very angry looking monster already starting a head-butt kind of run. It looked pissed. Xander expected that he in turn probably just looked scared.

Claws and hands; a little part of his brain must have been listening to Giles at some point because he was dodging with the best of 'em. Not doing any damage, buy not dead yet. Skid to the left, duck to the ground and try for another failed leg sweep. He's on the ground again so he rolls- this time directly under the most insane monster he'd ever had the displeasure of dealing with who's bringing down the sword to where he just was a moment ago...

And kick with all his might, straight up- straight between the legs. Hope that the demon has some human like anatomy.

The demon falls to the ground, and his face does a weird shifty thing where for a moment he looks human before going back to his scaly grossness. Xander doesn't stick around though, already running for his life back to the safety of the high school. Screw Snyder- He doesn't look back.

*** BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM ***

"Giles!" His voice may have been a bit screechy, but hey- one could allow for some screech after a life and death situation. And where the fuck was the G-Man when you needed him? "G-Man?!"

A pair of glassed eyes came around the stacks, Giles, holding some seriously old looking books and an overly interested look on his face. A look generally reserved for demons- or Angel. Not usually directed at his lovely self. "Oh man, Giles, you would not believe my day!"

"Xander," his voice was warmer than usual- even if the man was as much a paternal figure as Xander had ever had, Giles didn't usually sound like that unless he wanted something. "Just who I was hoping to see."

"Yeah, you and every other demon in Sunnyhell," the library was the safest place Xander knew- even if it was sitting on the mouth of hell. "The demon from last night? He came after me! Just me! Middle of the day and everything!"

An owl-ish blink was the slow response. "...Just now?"

He was panting, Xander realizing with a huff- he'd ran the full length of the trip back to school without stopping, and now his lungs were catching up. Maybe he had, actually. "Like... ten minutes ago? I was maybe ten blocks away, pretty much doing nothing, right? And I don't know if it popped out from behind a tree or a car or what but he was _all over me_. Totally trying to sish-ka-bob me with his big 'ol claws- and a freakin _sword_."

"And how did you handle it?" Giles was putting down his books looking way more interested in Xanders slaying style than he usually was. "You are alright, I assume?"

"Mostly, I guess. I got lucky, honestly. Got a groin kick in and ran for it."

Both men gave a moments pause to the thought; pained expressions flashing by their faces. "Smart of you," Giles nodded, opening one of the books he had put down in order to leaf through it. "Grimm Reapers aren't you're normal level of demon. In fact, they're not even... well, that's for later. They're very dangerous, Xander, and until this one is taken care of, I don't want you running about on your own. Not while one seems to have it out for you."

"...Okay," Xander frowned. "Which is fine because, well, holy shit much? But if I knew what a Grimm Reaper was, that would have probably made more sense."

"Sit down, Xander."

Xander sat. His body was grateful for the moment. Giles looked particularly serious. "I'm going to ask you some questions, and they may seem... a tad odd."

"...Alright."

"When you and Buffy fight a Vampire, what exactly do you see?"

...Oh. Oh shit. He hadn't been that obvious, had he? "Um... depends on what kind of shirt she's wearing honestly. And sometimes her skirt kind of- but I mean, that's not what I'm looking _for_, it's just- well, you've seen her G-Man! If she's upset or something-"

Giles eyes grew wide and he took a moment to clean his glasses. Gave a polite cough. "No, that's quite alright. I know that she- I mean... when you see a Vampire. Describe what a Vampire looks like to you."

"Okay, so, yeah... kind of odd. For a question."

"Please."

"Before or after they vamp out?"

"Before, during, after. Any part of it."

Xander blinked a few times, shuffling in his chair uncomfortably. Feeling as though he were being tested against somebody much smarter and wittier than he was. "You're kidding. You've seen Vampires. Like... a lot. Your entire career."

"I have reason to believe that you may see _more_ then I do."

Xander blinked once. Twice. Confused. "I don't know what that means."

"What do you _see_, Xander?"

"Umm... okay. So, when they're human they look, you know, human. Kinda paleish usually. Like, needing a tan but not super unhealthy. Then their face kinda ripples when they vamp out and their eyes change colour. And then you see all the ridges and the teeth and everything."

"Explain what you mean by ridges. You mean over the top lip where the fangs come out?"

"Well, yeah, but everywhere, right? Like, on their forehead and the cheeks and everything. And their eyes kind of sink in. Not a lot. And all their other teeth get kinda pointy, but it's not like their two main teeth... just kinda like they had 'em filed to be freaky."

"Really," Giles looked thoughtful. Questioning and kinda weird, "...Anything else?"

"I don't know... some Vampires hair gets more spikey after they vamp out. Angel's definitely does. I don't get why you're asking, though. Like a pissed off cat, I guess. I think. I mean, I've only ever seen my neighbours cat do it once... Is this some sort of test?" Xander was suddenly concerned. "Am I being tested right now? Am I the colour blind member of the group for Vampires or something?"

Giles took a step forward before stopping and moving back. "No wonder you hate the concept of Buffy with Angel so much," Giles coughed quietly, Giving his glasses a quick second rub, he sat at the desk across from the younger boy. "Xander... when I see a Vampire, I don't see what you do. Willow and even Buffy doesn't see what you do. It's the reason why so many people are willing to forgo the truth for... gang members on PCP or some such nonsense. I see a human with fangs. I see glowing eyes on particularly strong Vampires... I get a very strong feeling of imminent danger, but that's it. When most people see a Vampire, they see a human with fangs. They feel threatened. That's why it's so important that a Slayer hones her abilities to sense a Vampire in hiding."

"Except... that's not what they look like. They're pretty obvious."

"To you." Giles frowned at the confusion on the younger boys face. "There are people who see more than others, Xander. I believe you may be one of them. That you are a descendant of the brothers Grimm."

A sense of relief then- if Giles was in explanation mode then he was allowed to be an idiot. It was time honoured tradition. "That there, Giles? That was where you lost me."

"The demon that came after you today... I don't think it was actually a demon. But what would you say _it_ looked like?"

"Horny. Scaley. Humanoid, but really demony. Angry."

"Buffy said it looked human."

"...Umm... okay. Except it didn't."

"It didn't to _you_," Giles took his glasses off for a quick polish. "Xander... I think that as a descendant of a family called Grimm, you have an ability that most people don't. The ability to _see_, truly see, what somebody looks like. Underneath glamours or spells or whatnot. Natural ones that have evolved over eons. I believe this because the demon that came after you is what is called a Grimm Reaper. They search out Grimms and fight them. Try to take them out early."

"And this dude was trying to take out me."

"Yes. Exactly. That, combined with the fact that you apparently see demons much more for what they are then even a slayer can... it suggests _heritage._"

"That's... terrifying at best. Kinda still sticking on the part where I see more than other people but... what does this mean for me?"

"It might be best to keep this information quiet for now... but how would you like to train with Buffy and I from now on?"

Neither of them noticed the two figures standing in the library stacks. A well built girl and a thin man. The girl had her head cocked to one side, the man simply looked stern and off put. Their words were whispered. His arms crossed against his chest in a protective pose. Hers hanging limply at her sides, belaying the lacking interest on her face. "I rather wish they would at least _try_ to keep me in the loop."

"Hey man," She was pretending to pay more attention to her nails now, rather than the conversation going on so near to them. "You're the intruder- you know? Can't blame 'em for not wanting you around. Messin' up the system, Wes. Like a boss."

"...Is that how you consider yourself, Faith?"

"Do I consider myself to be... a shit disturber?"

"I would never use those words, exactly."

She grinned then, looking almost feral with the blood red lipstick against her pale skin and dark hair. "What can I say. I like being a disturbance."

"I don't doubt that," Wesley's voice held an undercurrent of something that Faith was entirely sure she didn't like- but he never turned towards her. Never spared her a glance for the thought. "Might I suggest..."

"Yeah?"

"Grimms are... very interesting. I'll go over the information I know with you later, if you like. But as it stands, they're not likely to tell us anymore than they have to. Not because they're making a deliberate attempt to exclude us, I hope, but because they're so used to keeping to their own."

"You're too trusting, then."

"Whatever you may believe," he sounded more sure of himself now. "The point is, I don't want to come out of this... whatever it is by trailing around Mister Giles like a puppy asking for treats. That is to say, answers. Do you understand?"

"Fake it till we make it?"

"Again, I wouldn't use those words."

"But that's what you mean. Figure it out for ourselves and pretend like we knew all along?" Faith was pissed now- angry and ready for a fight. "Buffy 'ill tell me what's the what."

"You hope. Too trusting even?"

Faith snorted, one hand on her hip. "Me? Never. But I'm in. If Buffy won't say, anyway."


	4. Chapter 3

I decided to say screw it and just posted the next chapter today. Which I don't normally do because I love reviews... but you all waited forever while I sat on my ass and got obsessed with other shows- letting this poor story sit, so much of it written already, unposted. Not fair to the lovely readers at all.

So... enjoy. :)

**Chapter 3  
****It's All In The Literature**

The ancient tome that Giles planted in front of Xander had seemed dreadfully large at first. Not that it wasn't perfectly common for Giles to drop some massive book in front of them, but usually when he did that it was for a quick flip through. They would flip through books looking for anything that would remind them of their latest problem, and usually suck in a few interesting tidbits of information in the process.

But this...

"Of course I think you should start with _Adlers Impressions_, but I'm afraid I've lent that to a collegue who died in Rome last year... God knows what happened to the books- I don't even know where they buried the man, rest his soul. But the _Biermanns Profile_ is almost as good as far as information goes. I'm afraid though that Biermann tried to pass along much of his information in the form of images-"

"Wait," Xander held up one hand, his eyes lighting up the way they rarely did in a research party. "You're saying this book... has pictures. You're giving me a picture book for research?"

"A lot of them. It's the way Grimms tend to pass along information, more often than not. Hand drawn, of course, so it's a crude way of-"

"No," Xander smiled, looking down at the book with renewed interest. "It's all good, G-Man, I promise. More than fine. Pictures are perfect."

Giles stepped back with a grin. "I thought you might think so. Xander, I hope you know how seriously I expect you to take this research. I know we're not coming up on anything catastrophic right now, but this is a birth right you've inherited... one that a rare few ever get to experience."

"I know that."

"I don't think you do," Giles sat down across from him, his own book laid out carefully. "Xander... a Reaper of the Grimm came after you. If one knows you're here, it's very possible that their institution as a whole do. From this point on, your life is as very much in danger as Buffy's is. Perhaps more so."

"...Well, we killed one of them, right? So-"

"When one fails, another comes," Giles replied simply. "And another after that. And another after that. Eventually it will be two. Or three. Or a dozen, at once. They're not a small group, Xander- and they have history. A very long history of blood shed and ideals they'll die for. You have no powers of note. Understanding, therefore, is crucial."

"I understand well enough," Xander defended himself, finding the teenager in him a little insulted. "If it tries to kill you, kill it back!"

"It's not that easy, Xander. Killing another being- one that doesn't just disappear into dust after you've done your work... It takes a type of person that I'm not sure you should want to be. And anyway, we're speaking tactically now," Giles argued. "Not a sudden fight in an alley, Xander. Don't get yourself killed by simply reacting to what pops up in front of you- go into a fight knowing exactly how to win and pop up in front of _it_."

"I'm not an idiot, Giles."

The Watcher rolled his eyes. "Where would you go looking for a Schakale? Or what tool would you use against a Murciélago?"

"...That's not fair."

"What weapon might you use against a Lausenschlange?"

Xander snorted. "Okay, now you're just making up names."

Giles frowned. "I'm being very serious. A Grimm's fighting lifestyle is not nearly as simple as a slayers. You'll need to know these things, Xander. You'll need to know these creatures. To understand their individual strengths and weakness. It's not so easy as sunlight and holy water."

Xander frowned, looking down at the book. With a wave of his hand it was open- the page he'd landed on indiscimmintly being one drawn with a demonic looking naked man eating babies. It was extremely detailed. "Oh... god. Giles, seriously?"

"Welcome to your new world," Giles didn't look particular pleased about it now, giving him a pat on his shoulder. "Remember; the more you learn, the less likely it is that these things will continue to happen."

**Eighteen Years Ago**

"Mommy?"

The words were sullen and quiet in the night, and the boys mother sat up in bed to see the door lined in light- and her child standing there with a teddy bear wrapped in his arms. "I had a nightmare, mom."

"You're almost twelve, sweety. You're too old to sleep with us."

"Please? Just this one more time?"

She patted the bed between her and his dad, waving him over with a quiet yawn. Careful not to wake the older Burkhardt, Nick crawled into the bed with a smile, kneeing her in the stomach without meaning to. She didn't comment on it, but smiled at her innocent boy. "What did you have a nightmare about?"

"A man with a sword."

"Well maybe if you hadn't of watched that movie before bed-"

"Not the bad guy from the movie," Nick was smiling as he settled in beside her, curling into a ball at her side. "He was the good guy."

"The man with the sword was the good guy?"

"Yeah... he helped me."

"Against what?"

She fluffed a pillow, settling into the bed again with her son at her side. There would be no school tomorrow- it was Nicks birthday, and they would be driving into times square to take in a show. "Against the monsters."

Oh shit.

Probably nothing.

Probably.

"...Monsters?"

"They had funny names. But the man with the sword helped. He cut off one of their heads, and then we took out three more together. It was **awesome**. It was weird. He was kind of small. Like he was a teenager, and I was big, like dad. But he glowed black, and he had black eyes... I think he kills lots of monsters."

"Sounds like an interesting dream, honey."

Nicks eyes were fluttering closed now. "It kind of felt real, mom."

"Go to sleep, Nick. Tomorrow will be a big day."

And he was out.

Kelly Burkhardt frowned at her sleeping son. They would have to deal with this... but was he ready? And did it even really matter?

It was probably nothing.

*** BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM ***

Xander had stayed for most of the afternoon, only leaving the library when Giles offered to drive him home from the school- the words _for your own safety_ seemed to be some sort of last straw for the teenager, and they had ended up arguing.

Rupert hadn't much wanted to see the boy walk off of the school campus alone- let alone with the darkness of night starting to creep into the sky, but with Angel keeping a vamperic eye on the boy, it would be safe enough.

Not that Xander knew he'd asked the Vampire to be stalking about.

He spun to re-enter the school and collect his own things, only to come face to face with a very disturbed looking Wesley. "Pryce," Giles words were cold, the politeness he usually put off when the children were around nowhere to be found. "I haven't seen you all day... don't tell me you actually managed to find some semblance of a life?"

"Ha," Wesley's response was just as dry. "Were you going to tell me, Giles?"

"Tell you what, exactly?" Rupert pushed past the younger man, grabbing his coat with the air of a man who was about to walk out on this conversation. "Is there something about with Buffy? She hadn't told _me_, either."

"About the boy."

"Which boy?" Giles looked around the room innocently, "There's only us, Wesley."

"Again, ha." Wesley looked honestly angry now. "He's a _Grimm_. And you're planning on _training_ him."

"There is no way we could know that... so it's all rather moot, no?"

"You might not know it, but you suspect. He can _see_. I overheard what I overheard."

"Hiding in the stacks..." Rupert frowned, "Such behaviour doesn't agree you, Wesley. And the Hellmouth does odd things, at any rate. Being able to see doesn't necessarily mean-"

"You wouldn't have said a damn word to me, or the Council!" the anger thick enough to cut through with a knife. "The boy _is_ a Grimm."

"...Probably," Giles hrumphed, "It has nothing to do with you, at any rate."

"It's the council's business."

"In other words, you'd have no idea what to do about it even if Xander _were_ a Grimm," Giles scoffed. "Wesley, do try and understand as an adult for once. I _don't know_. Not for certain. Explaining the possibility of it to the boy was simply prudent. And even if I did, I wouldn't bother telling you because you _don't know either_. Neither of us are versed in matters of Grimms. Neither of us have heard anything but stories- they are a secret the council knows very little real information about, even if they won't admit it."

"There are books."

Giles rolled his eyes skyward. "Oh yes," he spat. "The whole four I have access to. And you?"

Wesley sighed. "...One, I'll admit. And it's rather short."

They stared at each other for a moment, the anger dissipating as fast as it had come up. "I hate being in the dark, Giles," Wesley admitted. "I hate not understanding what's happening."

"I think that's something all Watchers have in common," Giles responded. He too sighed, deeply. "I'll be researching. If there's anything solid I can come up with... I'll tell you."

"And I'll contact the council-"

"You won't. You can't."

"Perhaps not until we have more solid evidence... but I'll ask for information," Wesley relented. "For now."

Giles left then. It would have to be good enough.

It was just unfortunate that he didn't truly trust the other man.

*** BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM ***

When Buffy came in the next morning, an early Saturday that could have been better spent sleeping in, the library wasn't set up quite the way it usually was. Normally she'd have her stepping stool, a few pads for Wesley, and the boombox he'd managed to hold onto throughout the evolution of a CD's and MP3 players.

Normally Giles would be sitting in his office, ready to poke out his head and tell Buffy when her form was _actually_ off, or whenever he felt that Wesley was being particularly unfair. Today her things were set to the far end of the library on a personal mat, out of the way of what was turning into a very busy library. Faith, who normally didn't join them for a morning workout, going through her beginner kata poses. And Wesley warming up, obviously trying to ignore the sound coming from the other end of the library.

Giles.

And Xander.

"Good," Giles was huffing a little, his hands held up in a surrender pose with the hand guards covering them. "But you're still leaving your left open. Keep your other first up, and strike out-"

"Buffy," Wesley's words cut through her like a knife, though it didn't seem to phase Giles or Xander at all. "You are going to join us, yes?"

Faith smirked.

If that's how they wanted to play it, fine. She'd pretend like she knew what was going on too.

About an hour later they were heading out to the showers, Xander and Giles already gone for almost twenty minutes. She walked through the silent school with Faith behind her, not entirely sure how to ask what she wanted to.

"It was weird, huh?" Faith started the conversation all on her own. "Having Xander there. I gotta say, him in gym clothes? Pretty nice sight. Wasn't really expecting that. I mean, I know he's all out there with the group and all, but somehow I always thought he'd have more of a gut or something."

Buffy grunted in response, looking back at the dark haired girl with a frown. "He shouldn't be learning how to fight though. He's just going to be in danger. Xander has this thing about being in the way and making himself a target."

Faith rolled her eyes, making no attempt to hide it from the blonde. "Which is kind of _why_ he's learning to fight. ...Duh. And it's not like he's not in danger either way, now, is it?"

"But he doesn't have to be."

"Not really the way the world works, Buff." Faith frowned at her. "And anyway, what business is it of yours?"

"Giles-"

"Isn't your watcher anymore then he is mine," she spat out. "Face it. Your daddy figure had to pass you off, and he's getting himself a new hobby. Kind of... grim, don't you think?"

But Buffy just looked at her with a shot of hatred, not noticing the play on words; and Faith knew that she didn't know. Didn't understand.

They hadn't told Buffy.

That was interesting.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 (5 Pages)  
****Losing Ones Head****  
**

A week had passed since Buffy or Xander had seen their reaper friend, and Angel was starting to get bored with following a teenage boy who seemed to be doing very little with his life. Watch the boy get up, get dressed, go to school early for his new workout routine. After school he'd do detention (usually) before going to the library. After the library he'd go home. Fridays they went to the bronze for an hour. Saturday was spent wandering around town while his parents fought. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday were regular patrol days. A single full moon passed by where he spent the night watching Oz.

On occasion he would study with Willow.

It was boring, insulting, and a waste of his time. And on another level it was almost awe inspiring. The relaxing lifestyle this boy was able to live. The fact that he was enjoying life, in its simplicity.

Angel was jealous.

While he watched from overhanging trees and sewer entrances, the boy strolled with a coffee in hand and a book bag hanging off his shoulder. When a pretty girl passed by he would give her a long look. On occasion he used his skateboard.

Lucky little punk with his average little life.

And then (_finally_) it happened. Willow was off tutoring some jock from school while Buffy and Wesley did their research thing. It was bright out- a hot kind of day that made Angel feel like he had some body heat of his own. He should have been asleep right now, really, but with the pigs blood pooled in his stomach he'd felt too ill to really make the most of the day.

The boy had been wandering down the street, calm as you please, eating a chocolate bar of all things.

_CRASH!_

Garbage bins were thrown as if a bomb had gone off behind them- people scattered. Ran. It was the thing that sane people did. Xander, apparently, wasn't so sane. Chewed a couple more times. Swallowed hard. Started running _towards_ the commotion. And while the Vampire didn't know why exactly there was a demon after Xander of all people, he'd made a promise to the Watcher.

And Buffy would be so upset if the little upstart died.

The boy was running into the alleyway like an idiot, and Angel had to give the block a good search to find a way he could even get across the street in the hot sun without leaving his hiding spot.

It would have to be the sewers. Not that there were any nearby that headed in that direction.

_Damn it_, Angel thought to himself sullenly as he ran through the muck_, _he _hated_ day time jobs.

*** BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM ***

Trash cans rolled out of shadows, and Xander nearly jumped out of his skin when a rat brushed past his feet in its own attempt to escape. The dark alley was silent now- it's contrast to the sounds before making the quiet all too noticeably. He wasn't entirely sure of why he had run into a fight situation without any backup or weapons...

Red eyes from the shadows.

_Shit!_

He jerked backwards just as a fist reached out to grab at his shirt- it missed and he ducked, the feeling of wind brushing past his hair showing how close those claws had come to his very necessary head. "What is your _problem?!_" Xander nearly shouted out, grabbing at one of the fallen tin lids, using is as a shield as the demon... the _Wesen_ punched out. Huh. He remembered a thing. Cool. "You have nothing better to do with your time?!"

It grunted in response and grabbed out again, this time catching one strap of his backpack- Xander found himself thrown through the air, crashing into a brick wall with such sudden shock that he could have just laid there for an age.

If it weren't for the two very hard kicks suddenly aimed at his abdomen.

Which really, _really_ hurt.

He rolled again, this time spitting blood. The bad puns and fighting conversations probably weren't what he should have been focusing on after all... and instead Xander grabbed again at his fallen lid.

_CLANG!_

He was pushed backwards, further into the alleyway. Feet pulling against the concrete as Xander tried desperately to hold his ground. The lid was hardly much of a shield at all, but it protected his face- if it hadn't of been enraging the demon so much, it would have probably have been even better.

_BANG!_

Another hard hit to his little shield; the trash can lid was starting to look like a pot now. It wouldn't be good for much longer.

_CRACK!_

The demon howled in anger as Xander blocked a particularly hard hit- but it did little good as the teens back was now literally against the wall. Another blocked fist and _KER-CLANG!_ His trash can lid was taken apart now, literally cracked in half and not nearly as useful. The handle and half a sliver of sharp metal as long as his arm- all that was left.

The monster grinned, and Xander felt a moment of terror. Trapped, cornered, and nobody about to save him.

He was going to die if he didn't do something _right now_.

Closing his eyes tightly and pressing his own back further against the wall as if that would help, the monster pulled one fist back in what would surely be a fight ending punch; Xander finally lashed out with what was left of his tin lid.

And no punch came.

He waited a moment.

And still no death.

Opened one eye and blinked.

The Wesen stood there, its own eyes shocked. The sharp edge of his garbage can lid firmly embedded in its neck.

Blood.

A lot of blood.

Spurting out all over the place while it made quiet gasping noises.

But it wasn't dead yet, and was starting to get a look like he was going to take Xander out if it was the last thing it did.

Anger.

With his last chance in front of him Xander lashed out, punching with a complete lack of style or grace- but the creature was finding itself propelled backwards now- just as it had done to Xander only moments (could it have been seconds ago?) before.

Its own back against the wall- still flailing. Still so easy for it to take out a teenage boy, Xander let anger and a desire to survive take over. He couldn't end a fight the way this creature did- but could hardly let it go. But the wound was already there...

And so in between punches that felt as though they would have otherwise been completely ineffective if the creature hadn't already been dying, he pushed out to the creatures neck where the metal was still embedded.

Pushed it further in with a jerk of his hand.

Felt it pass through something hard. Bone.

And its head just kind of... fell off.

Which was funny.

...And not.

Huh.

*** BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM ***

Angel ran from the end of the alley, certain that the boy was dead for how long it had taken him to do something as simple as cross the street. There was blood- a thick smell that came on so impossibly strong that he _had_ to be dead.

Buffy would be heart broken. Willow and Giles too.

Certain that he had failed in this duty Angel stood, his eyes adjusting to the darkness and dust...

Xander.

Standing.

"Are you alright?" The words came out rushed, and Angel felt like he might have been breathing hard if he had breathed at all. "Xander- where is it?"

The boy pointed downwards, into the shadows.

A corpse.

The corpse.

...And a head.

"Oh," Angel would admit he'd seen some gruesome things. Done horribly things. But a random daytime beheading wasn't really what one expected when waking up on a fairly average day. "You... oh."

"...I didn't mean to."

The boy sounded confused. Looked confused. He held a large piece of metal in one hand. "...It was sharp and... I didn't mean to do _that_." He was soaked through, and shock was setting in.

"Adrenalin," Angel frowned, watching the boy carefully. "It's alright Xander. He was trying to kill you.

The boy blinked.

Dropped his weapon with a clanging sound.

Didn't say a word.

"Go back to the library, Xander. It'll be alright."

The boy left, somehow looking steady and shaky at the same time, while Angel cleaned up the evidence.

*** BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM BTVS GRIMM ***

When Angel entered the library an hour later, it was to quiet voices and a frowning Giles. The old man shot across the library like a bat out of hell when he saw the Vampire. "Where the hell were you?" His whispered anger thick. "What happened to Xander?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"The boy hasn't said a word! Just walks in, covered in blood! Walked half way across town looking like a psycho path, from what I can tell! If that damn reaper isn't dead-"

"He'd dead."

Giles deflated at the words, his anger dissipating quickly and turning instead into concern. "I've never seen him react like this. Silence- acting as if nothing happened at all! They fight vampires all the time... I know it can be a lot for a child to handle, seeing a fight like that, but I wouldn't have expected this reaction from Xander."

"He didn't... watch," Angel admitted, his own face deeply concerned. "Giles. I got there too late. By the time I got to him, Xander had killed the reaper on his own."

"...What? That's... I mean to say, a reaper is-"

"An incredibly skilled fighter. I wont say it was luck- I don't know. But Giles, Xander _chopped off his head_. I don't know how the fight went down, but there was a corpse, there was a head, and they sure as hell weren't attached. What are you teaching the boy that he would go around decapitating people when he's in a fight?!"

"_Teaching_?! He's what, sixteen? Of course I'm not teaching him to _decapitate-"_

"Sorry," the words came from a very sudden appearance of Xander, standing behind Giles. "I just... sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," Giles removed his glasses with a shudder, wiping them clean as he looked down on the boy. The argument in his head turning completely around when he looked at the young man in front of him, still shivering. "You were protecting yourself."

"But I didn't mean to-"

"It's a good thing," Giles put his glasses back on, "Honestly, Xander. I know this is... disconcerting for you. I understand. But when you have a fight like this, so suddenly, with no time to research... really, removing the head, as grotesque as it seems, really is the best course of action."

Xander looked at him with confusion.

"You never know where certain organs are, or what his allergies happen to be. Silver... religious artifact... You don't know if they have some sort of magic protecting them. But one thing almost all creatures have in common is that they need their head. You did well."

"...How does Buffy do this, Giles? Against demons that aren't... that don't just dust? It was... his was twitching and I think he was trying to say something. I mean, I've staked before- fine, you know? Almost like... I don't know. Like it's not a big deal. The Vampires are all dead already, really. They're already _mourned_ and not missed and... What if that thing had a life? Like, a real _life_?"

"You can't think about that Xander. Just remember that _you_ do. And it tried to take that away from you."

"I feel sick, Giles."

Xander did look particularly green in that moment, and Giles found it strangely comforting. "I'd be more concerned if you didn't."

And as Xander walked back to the library table, Angel and Giles looking on at his blood covered shirt, Giles made a point of stomping down that pit of shock and horror that grew in his stomach. Beheading really had been the smart course of action, after all.

But it was all so terrifyingly on point for a Grimm who didn't really know what Grimms did.


End file.
